Integrating the malt value chain
Barley is especially well suited to malting operations and meets brewers’ needs and expectations. During the different stages of fabrication of malt and beer, the grain is capable of synthesizing and rapidly activating an enzymatic complex. Certain of these enzymes are necessary for the saccharification of starch, and thus its later transformation into alcohol during fermentation of the wort at the brewery. During this final stage, barley’s moderate protein content is sufficient for nourishing the yeast while limiting the appearance of sludge in the beer.
The fine husks that are a particularity of barley grains, following crushing of the malt, are the origin of the draff through which the wort is filtered in order to separate the insoluble parts.
Even though malt is made essentially from barley, other cereal grains can be malted (wheat, sorghum, buckwheat, rye) depending on the availability of raw materials in the country. Wheat malt is used mainly in making "white" beers (Weiβenbier in Germany).
Following a harvest of malting barley done at a stage of complete physiological maturity (moisture < 14.5 %), storage must be able to ensure maintenance of satisfactory sanitary and technological quality. That means that malting barley must be stored in clean, watertight installations equipped with ventilation allowing the grain to be cooled in successive stages, thus avoiding the proliferation of insects and the development of microflora and maintaining the barley’s germinating power.
Malt is a natural food product that results from the transformation of a cereal grain. Barley is the grain most used today, but wheat can also be used for making "white" beers. Malt is the main ingredient used in brewing beer, along with water, hops, and yeast.
A complete approach to malting barley procurement must take into account these six key areas and deploy pragmatic, multi-faceted solutions keyed to situations and customer needs in each region.
Barley, throughout history the most widespread cereal grain, seems to have first been grown in Turkestan, Ethiopia, Tibet, Nepal, and China. Archeological excavations 100 km from Cairo, in Egypt, have shown that barley was grown as early as 5,000 years ago.
Malt and its co-products are used essentially in human and animal foods. This being the case, it is vital to be able to guarantee surveillance at all stages to ensure food safety in the marketing of these products.
Malteurop has an international Technical Department whose goal is to optimize the industrial process at two levels – that of the malting process itself and that of the design and renovation of malting plants.
Working together: Malteurop also puts that philosophy into practice with its own suppliers, seed producers-breeders, storage operators, and carriers. For in fact all of them make important contributions to the proper operation of the barley value chain, in particular as regards traceability and food safety.
